TVBS
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Liann Yee Production Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | September 28, 1993 in Taiwan |
| Founder | Partnership between Hong Kong's TVB and Taiwan's Era Group |
| Headquarters | Taipei , Taiwan |
Area served | Taiwan, International (via TVBS Asia) |
Key people | Cher Wang (owner) |
| Products | Television channels: TVBS, TVBS News, TVBS Entertainment, TVBS E!, TVBS Asia |
| Owner | Cher Wang (since 2005) |
| Website | www |
TVBS Media Inc. (), previously known as Liann Yee Production Co., Ltd. (), is a commercial television broadcaster based in Taiwan. The company was initially established as a partnership between Hong Kong's TVB and Taiwan's Era Group. In 2005, TVB took complete control before transferring its ownership stakes to Cher Wang, Chairwoman of HTC Corporation.
As of 2019, TVBS managed four domestic channels—its main channel TVBS, the round-the-clock news channel TVBS News, the entertainment-focused TVBS Entertainment, and TVBS E! (which replaced TVB8 on CHT MOD IPTV)—in addition to the international outlet TVBS Asia.
History
The primary channel, TVBS, began transmissions on 28 September 1993 via satellite DTH and cable networks. Initially branded as "TVB Superchannel" (Chinese: Wuhsien Weihsing Tienshiht'ai ), it was part of the "Gang of Five," a group competing with Star TV throughout Asia that included CNN International, HBO, ESPN International, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The channel first broadcast through the Palapa satellite before extending coverage to Apstar.
In 1997, TVBS Asia was launched to serve international audiences, followed by TVB’s introduction of distinct satellite channels aimed at East and Southeast Asian markets in 1998.
As Taiwan’s pioneer private television broadcaster, TVBS ended the longstanding dominance of state-owned networks. It also led advancements by being the first Taiwanese station to implement full HD production and broadcasting standards and was an early adopter of 4K cameras equipped with cinema-grade lenses for its programming.
TVBS channels
The network currently operates five channels:
Controversy
- Government Information Office (GIO) leader Pasuya Yao accused TVBS of breaching Taiwanese media ownership regulations that bar foreign entities from holding majority shares in local satellite broadcasters. On 1 November 2005, GIO imposed a NT$1 million fine on TVBS and required corrective action. However, after appealing to the Executive Yuan, it was determined that TVBS’s ownership—majority controlled by Hong Kong’s TVB via a local legal entity—complied with laws, resulting in the fine being overturned.
- Bitumen duck incident (瀝青鴨事件): On 29 December 2006, TVBS sparked controversy impacting duck farmers despite issuing an apology.
- Chou Cheng-pao Video Tape incident (周政保影帶事件): In March 2007, TVBS encountered public criticism over a contentious video. The National Communications Commission (NCC) penalized the station with a NT$2 million fine and ordered the replacement of its general manager. Several journalists were also dismissed following this episode.
See also
- Companies in Taiwan
- Companies in Hong Kong
- Taiwan Major League
- TVB
- TVB News
- HKTV
- List of Taiwanese television series